101 educators vie to be ‘Teacher of the Year’

This year’s program will name the 45th Minnesota Teacher of the Year, celebrating the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, from public or private schools.

The 2009 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced Sunday, May 3, at The Northland Inn in Brooklyn Park. Over the coming weeks, a 22-member panel of community leaders will name a group of semifinalists, and then finalists.

Education Minnesota organizes and underwrites the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program, which receives program and award support from the following organizations: The SMARTer Kids Foundation, The Northland Inn, the Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, United Educators Credit Union, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Teacher Federal Credit Union, Pearson Education and Education Minnesota ESI.

The candidates for 2009 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, listed by their school districts, are:

Jason Olson, Adrian
Mary Hinnenkamp, Albert Lea
Dianne Thompson, Alden-Conger
Mary Jo Hoch, Anoka-Hennepin
Stephanie Bisek, Austin
Judee Vesledahl, Becker
Meg Lafferty Schuller, Bertha-Hewitt

Kim Hanson Nagorski, Big Lake
John Bruns, Blooming Prairie
Elizabeth Boeser, Bloomington

Carol Soma, Blue Earth
Fay Kuznia, BOLD

Sarah Gravalin Warrington, Breckenridge
Shannon Bye, Buffalo
Clayton Holt, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage
Cate Belleveau, Cass Lake-Bena
Taryn Flolid, Centennial
Tamra Ragan, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley
Sigri Dorholt, Deer River
Karen Teff, Deer River

Shan Manke, Detroit Lakes
Elizabeth Bartel, Duluth
Arlene Borner, Eastern Carver County
Jennifer Carter, Edina
Jack Olwell, Farmington
Daniel Pickens, Farmington
Amy Beske, Fergus Falls
Diane Levar, Greenway
Gene Lunsetter, Grygla
Cynthia Oppold, Hastings

Jayne Oachs, Herman-Norcross
Doyle Zellar, Heron Lake-Okabena
Sharon Landrud, Intermediate District #287
Amy Rebecca Mix, Jordan
Joan Lunde, Lake Park-Audubon
Tina Byrd, Lakeville

Mike Wenninger, Luverne
Donna Forbes, Mahtomedi
Robert Ihrig, Mankato
Rebecca Nies, Maple Lake

Diane Brudelie, Martin County West
Tom Schoper, McLeod West
Jane Close, Melrose
Meridith Johnson, Melrose
Amber Damm, Minneapolis
Ann Godwin, Minnesota State Academies
Mark Broten, Minnetonka
Sara Lovelace, Minnetonka
Karen Kling, Montevideo
Shelley Messner, Morris

Rachel Hasbargen-Glowack, Nashwauk-Keewatin
Dara Bishop, New Prague
Cheryl Mathison, Northfield
Shawn Erickson, Norwood
Laurie Jensen, Orono
Marcia Anderson, Owatonna
Jill Stevenson, Park Rapids
Tricia Irvine, Perham
Nancy Siebenahler, Pipestone
Ellen Siewert, Princeton

Ben Tressel, Prior Lake-Savage
Mary Ellen Wade, Proctor
Michael Silk, Randolph
Donna Lindahl, Randolph
Catarina Alme, Rochester
Gary Komaniecki, Rochester
Michael Olson, Rochester
Paula Winter, Rochester
Julie Johnston, Roseau
Aaron Nelson, Roseau

Karen Colbert, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
Stacey Schultz, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
Thomas Bedard, Saint Paul
Jennie Deming Gabrych, Saint Paul
Erin Dooley, Saint Paul
Dianne Hopen, Saint Paul
Tien Le, Saint Paul
Carrie Newman, Saint Paul
Theresa Westcott, Saint Paul
Leslie Williams, Saint Pau
l
Laura Arndt, Sauk Rapids-Rice
Cyndi Jakel, Sleepy Eye
Sue Kvidera, Spring Lake Park
Brenda Sandberg, Spring Lake Park
Lee Erickson, St. Francis
Breanna Becthold, St. James
Posie Skeans, Stillwater
Glenda Andrews, Triton
Robert Hanson, W. St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan
Jennifer Parker, W. St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan

LeAnn Millender, Waconia
John Hanson, Waseca
Eileen Mediger, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown
David Wollin, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown
Bonnie Hatton, Wayzata
Bryan Poyzer, West Central Area
Daniel O\’Brien, Westonka
James Christensen, White Bear Lake
Susan Wilde, White Bear Lake
Mark Nass, Windom
Luke Merchlewitz, Winona